You Did Not Know? Mergana
by shireling111
Summary: Based on this AU post on tumblr: Basically, an AU for 5x06 where Merlin gets kidnapped instead of Gwen. The beginning is a little vague and slow, but it gets better. (It's because this started out as a fic in the tags that I thought was too good to pass up so I made it longer.) I haven't had enough Merlin/Morgana this season. ;)
1. Chapter 1

Morgana knew that the only way to get to the king was through Merlin. She had tried killing him, but every time he had somehow managed to avoid death. However, _this_ time she had a purpose for the young servant. So she kidnapped him, sending her thugs to drug him in the night and carry him out of camelot. She knew that as long as he was in her grasp, she could kill him any time and any way that she wanted, but in the meantime she wanted information out of him, and in order for her plan to succeed she needed to go somewhere where Arthur could not easily find Merlin. She wondered how far the young idealistic king would go to rescue a lowly servant.

She would soon find out.

* * *

Once they arrived at the Dark Tower, Morgana locked Merlin in the highest room, every inch covered with the dreaded Mandrake root. She knew it couldn't be long before he succumbed to her will. After all, he was only a servant, not a great warrior. Merlin was just waking up as she was leaving the room. "Morgana?" he whispered, his voice raspy and confused. She smiled wickedly at the look on his face as she locked the door behind her, leaving Merlin in complete and utter darkness but for the thin line of light coming from the stars outside. The thought of him suffering there, alone in the darkness, as she had suffered, gave her an indescribable feeling that she relished with glee. Soon he would be groveling at her feet, begging for mercy.

Merlin sat up on the cold hard floor and rubbed his head. He couldn't remember exactly what had happened to him, but seeing Morgana had told him enough. He was now at her mercy. It was either risk her finding out that he had magic, with untold consequences, or bear the torture that she had in store for him in silence. He knew what his decision had to be almost before he thought of the options, and yet still he hesitated, wondering what dark purpose she could have for him here. He knew there was a likely possibility that she wanted information about Arthur, and although he knew he would sooner die than betray his king, he wondered if he might not have to risk using magic in order to keep her from finding what she wanted to know through torturous magic. His body aching, Merlin dragged himself over to a stone pillar to lean his back up against and wait. Suddenly, something cold and slimly dripped on him from the ceiling. Disgusted, he held up his had to try to make out what it was. It was dark, but other than that he couldn't tell. All of a sudden he realized that he could here dripping all around him. Tentatively he stood up, and instantly was accosted by dozens of slimy roots. He ducked down again, but he could not escape the fear that instantly filled his heart. He knew exactly what this was: Mandrake roots. With this revelation came another – he realized what Morgana had planned for him. He could only hope that he could withstand the horror that surely would follow. In an attempt to calm his racing heart, Merlin risked a little magic in order to afford himself some light. _"Leoht,"_ he whispered. The sphere of light in his hand instantly gave him some comfort, but also showed him the direness of his situation. Surrounding him in this room must have been hundreds of Mandrake roots. He tried to recall everything he had learned about the root, but he couldn't remember anything on how long it took to take effect. He let the light in his hand go out, and he sat there, waiting, waiting for the terrors to start.

* * *

Merlin couldn't tell how long he sat there waiting. It might have been an hour, it might have been a day – there was no way of telling. He could feel the presence of powerful magic at work all around him. Every time he thought he heard a noise, or saw something out of the corner of his eye, he resisted with everything in him. But something was wrong. Either his imagination was playing tricks on him and the magic was only barely beginning to take effect, or Morgana had not used the right spell, or something, but Merlin was not experiencing any of the horrors he had heard so many terrifying tales about. He was about to risk another light spell, when suddenly he heard, very clearly, footsteps coming closer. "Here it comes," he thought, bracing himself. Closer and closer they came, and then suddenly, the sound of a key in the lock. Merlin looked up at the door in surprise. It opened slowly, revealing Morgana, a black fur draped across her shoulders and a smirk plastered on her face. His eyes widened in fear and he gulped nervously.

"Hello Merlin. How are you enjoying your new quarters?" She paused, took a step closer and peered at Merlin curiously. "I must say I haven't heard you screaming. You must be braver than I thought." Merlin refused to reward her with an answer, but instead met her glare with his own. "Well I daresay you must be hungry. How about a bite to eat." With that she turned and walked out the door, leaving it open behind her so that the warm yellow light flooded the entrance, beckoning Merlin out of the shadows. He couldn't help himself, the thought of food and light was too much to resist. He hesitated for a split second in the doorway, wondering if this might not somehow be a trap, but then he quelled his fears, assuring himself that there wasn't anything that she could throw at him that he couldn't handle. And with that, he followed her down the corridor, the dreaded tower room receding into the distance.

They sat at a table lit by four lone candles which cast flickering shadows on the walls around him. The embers in a nearby fireplace glowed, suggesting that Morgana had recently let the fire go out. Cautiously, Merlin picked up a piece of bread and eyed it, suspicious of her motives.

"Honestly, Merlin, you don't have to worry. I'm not going to _poison_ you." Her words dripped with bitterness and malice, but somehow Merlin felt that he could trust what she was saying. Something told him that if she had wanted him dead there were a hundred other ways she could have done it, but no, she had kept him alive. Slowly, he raised the food to his mouth, never dropping his gaze from hers.

She popped a bite in her mouth and watched him chew before saying anything. "So how do you like the tower?"

"Why are you doing this Morgana?'' Merlin returned.

She feigned offense at his words. "I asked you first."

Merlin knew she would have her way eventually, and although he didn't want to play her game, he also didn't want to continue with this childish banter, so he shrugged, "I think you need a different decorator."

Morgana glared at him and huffed, annoyed at his insolence. "After all that I've gone through to fix, the place up for you, you might try being thankful." She paused to cut off a piece of meat and place it daintily in her mouth. Merlin took the opportunity to survey his surroundings. One exit, and that guarded by two burly men. Also Morgana had placed herself at the end closest to the door, so he knew there was no way he could escape without using magic.

Just then he was brought back to the conversation by Morgana clearing her throat. "And in reply to your question, I only wanted you to know what it's like for me, since you did after all condemn me to a life of misery and solitude."

"I did not condemn you Morgana you condemned yourself."

Morgana's eyes lit up with rage. "We both know that's not true," she hissed. Her eyes suddenly narrowed. "But I see you do not ask what happened to me after you left me to die in the forest when last you took my rightful kingdom from me. Perhaps you would like to hear what happened? How I suffered? Maybe then you will be more sympathetic, seeing as you are in the same situation right now." Merlin dropped his eyes to the food on his plate, unable to bear the sudden look of pain that flashed through her eyes. Morgana cocked her head. "You did not know?" Merlin didn't answer, choosing instead to eat his food silently. She smirked. "Well then. Let me show you what it was like." And with that she gave a nod of her head and the two burly bodyguards came and dragged Merlin back to the tower room, where they locked him once more in the utter darkness. Merlin sat back with a sigh, the weight of everything that had happened almost crushing him. He closed his eyes at the painful memories, but not before a lone tear escaped and trailed down his cheek.

The darkness seemed to thicken as the hours wore on, with no relief, but oddly enough, Merlin still had yet to experience the terrors of the Mandrake. He wasn't sure what this meant, whether to be hopeful or more afraid than ever, but he had little choice. As long as he was not in imminent danger, he could not risk using his magic to escape. He could only hope that Arthur would find him soon.


	2. Chapter 2

Merlin awoke with a start. He could have sworn he heard voices coming from the hall. Sitting up, he strained to hear, listening intently for anything that might have awakened him from his slumber. Not a sound reached his ears except for the steady drip-drip of the mandrake roots. Sighing, he leaned back against the pillar. He must have fallen asleep some time ago, the exhaustion finally overcoming his terror, because his whole left side was numb from sleeping on it. He rubbed his arm in an attempt to bring some feeling back. The wind whistled through the castle, an eerie sound in the dark. Merlin took a deep breath and forced himself to stay calm. Even if the mandrake root didn't make him go crazy, being locked up alone in here in the dark and cold, without freedom to use his magic, for who knows how long, just might do it for him.

Just then, another draft of wind whistled up the stairs, and this time Merlin was certain he heard talking. Quietly rising to his feet, he tiptoed over to the door and pressed his ear up to it. Snatches of hushed conversation, further muffled by the thick wood, reached his ear, but he couldn't understand anything that was said. Straining to hear, he pressed closer to the door, but the words had faded from hearing. He was about to give up and go back, when suddenly the door was thrust open. Merlin was thrown on his back as Morgana entered the room, her long dress dragging behind her.

She scowled at Merlin. "Were you listening at the door? How very juvenile of you." Her words dripped from her lips like poisoned honey. Merlin scrambled to his feet and backed up until he hit the pillar and could go no further. Morgana advanced slowly, studying his face intently. Her eyes darted back and forth, more and more confused, as though searching for something she could not find.

"All this time locked up in here, and still you show no signs of breaking," she whispered, almost to herself. "How is this possible?"

Merlin held his chin high, but dropped his gaze, unable to meet her searching eyes lest he betray himself. Suddenly, he found himself staggering to his left, his cheek stinging from the fierce slap he had just received from Morgana.

"Answer me!" she screamed, her voice shill. Her ice blue eyes burned with fury.

Merlin raised his head to look at her, and said heavily, "I don't know, Morgana." He paused, then uttered, "Perhaps your magic isn't as strong as you thought."

"My magic is more powerful than you could ever dream!" she hissed through clenched teeth. "I am a high priestess of the old religion – there are none more powerful than I!" Her voice rose steadily as she spoke, until she was screaming at the top of her lungs. Oddly enough, to Merlin she resembled a child having a temper tantrum when they couldn't have their way. Except this "child" had magic. With a flash of her eyes, Morgana threw him backward. Mandrake roots whipped past his face as he flew though the air, then landed heavily on the other side of the room. Merlin gasped for breath, the wind knocked out of him. Morgana strode over to where he had landed and crouched down next to him, grabbing a handful of his hair and forcing him to look at her.

"It doesn't matter how, one way or another, I _will _break you," she murmured. She stroked his cheek with one finger, tracing his cheekbone with her fingernail. "And I promise you, you will _beg _for mercy before the end."

"Never."

Morgana pressed her finger into the side of his neck, her jaw set, and with another flash of her eyes, Merlin slumped over. She stood, letting his unconscious body slip to the ground with a thud. Contempt filling her gaze, she turned and stormed out of the room.

* * *

Back in her chambers, Morgana paced back and forth. There was no point in denying it; the mandrake roots were not working on Merlin. It was clear for anyone to see, although Morgana had done her best to ignore it up until now. He should have been screaming a long time ago, and yet she had heard nothing but silence from the tower room. What could possibly have gone wrong? This tower was old, and had been used for this purpose many a time in the past. All the knights of Camelot knew and feared it, although few or none knew how to find it. It had taken Morgana a long time to find it herself, but once she had, she knew it was exactly what she was looking for. The last sorcerer to claim stake to it had long since died, but the roots were still there, waiting for a new keeper to come and re-enchant it. Recalling the spells for the mandrake roots had been easy, but performing them took all her power as a high priestess. And yet she knew for certain that she had done it right. She had taken the liberty of testing it on one of her men, just to make sure. The man had broken in a matter of hours. So then how come this little serving boy had managed to stay sane for two whole days? Morgana couldn't fathom it.

She let out an exasperated sigh, and turned to the window. She wished that Morgause was here now, to offer advice about how to deal with this pesky servant. Alas, nothing could be done about that; Morgana was on her own, and she would have to figure it out herself. Sitting down at her table, she picked up a cluster of grapes from a bowl and popped one in her mouth. Grapes had been one of the few foods she had not been able to give up in her exile – she had gone to great pains to make sure she took some with her wherever she went, whenever possible.

Pouring herself a glass of wine, Morgana pondered how to start torturing Merlin. She wanted it to be as painful and as prolonged as possible, to make up for the Mandrake roots not working. She was determined that she should get an answer out of him. A sudden thought occurred to her: perhaps Merlin knew who Emrys was! Then she could kill two birds with one stone. A wicked smile spread across her lips. Eager to start, she called out the guards outside her door. One stuck his head in and replied, "Yes, milady?"

"Take the prisoner to the torture chambers."

* * *

Merlin was woken by the sound of chains rattling next to his head. His head flopped on his chest as he was forced upright and iron shackles were clamped on his wrists. He blinked in the bright light and tried to force his eyes to focus on his surroundings. He was in a well-lit room, very warm, with lots of machinery around him. As he slowly became more and more conscious of his surroundings, he became more and more worried. Although he hardly dared to think it, the words came unbidden to his mind: _torture chamber. _His breath quickened and sweat slithered down the back of his neck.

The door swung open and Morgana glided in, caressing each evil-looking device as she passed it as though they were all her children. Slowly she raised her eyes until her gaze settled on Merlin. This time, they were cold and unfeeling, as though she knew that her emotions had gotten the better of her earlier and refused to let that happen again.

"You know Merlin, I've had a lot time to consider all the different ways I'd like to make you suffer. If I were you, I'd be very afraid right now." She paused, letting her words sink in. When she received no response from Merlin, she pouted her lips and batted her eyes at him. "Oh, what's this? Merlin's trying to be brave. That's what Arthur would do, isn't it? Well, in case you were hoping that he was going to come and save you, don't bother. There is no way he will ever find this place, and even if he did, there's no way that he could get past me. In fact, you better hope for his sake that he doesn't even try." She crept close and leaned in to whisper in his ear, "So you might as well just give in to the fear that is raging through you right now, and make this easier for both of us." Morgana took a step back and glared up at Merlin, slowly turning away from him. Stepping over to a small table, she fingered the various instruments, and allowed a slight smile to tug at the corners of her lips. _Let the fun begin._

* * *

Two and a half hours later, Merlin found himself tossed back in the tower room, every inch of his body in agony. He curled into a ball on the floor, unable to move from the spot where he had fallen. Through clenched teeth, he attempted to utter a spell of healing. On his third try, it worked, and the pain eased, allowing him to drag himself over to the pillar to lean up against it. Breathing heavily, Merlin thought about what Morgana had said about Arthur finding him. Perhaps it was wrong of him to want the King to find him, endangering himself and his knights in the process. But he didn't see any other way out of this. He needed some sort of distraction in order to use his magic. The chaos that would ensue from the knights fighting their way in would provide the perfect cover. And yet, Merlin wasn't sure it was worth endangering Arthur's life. Except, without Merlin, how would the King ever fulfill his destiny and unite Albion?

Merlin knew that there was one other way to solve his dilemma, but he wasn't willing to consider it right now. There was always the option to use his magic directly against Morgana, but that would require him to reveal himself, and if something went wrong and Morgana somehow escaped, then she would know that he had magic. Without a doubt, she would be able to use that against Merlin, and who knew what the outcome might be? No, he couldn't risk an outright use of his magic against Morgana. He was just going to have to depend on Arthur finding him. And if Arthur was ever going to find him, he was going to need some help.

Moving so that the pillar was between him and the door, in case Morgana should return before he had finished, Merlin sat and closed his eyes, concentrating. _"Fylst be hine cume forÞwísian hine forþ,"_ he chanted. His eyelids fluttered, revealing a flash like fire as the spell began to work. In his mind's eye, Merlin suddenly saw the council chambers back at Camelot. The picture wavered and flickered, as though he was looking through water. He saw Arthur seated at the table, his head in his hands and a map of the land in front of him. Standing around him were his most trusted knights and Gaius, who seemed to be arguing amongst themselves. Guinevere stood next to Arthur, her hands resting on his shoulders, trying to comfort him. Slowly, Merlin became aware of what they were saying.

"Sire," Sir Leon ventured to Arthur, "We are all very fond of Merlin, but, well, the mission you speak of is extremely dangerous, if not impossible. Also, how do we know it's not a trap?" A murmur of assent sounded around him.

Arthur sighed, but before he had a chance to say anything, Gwaine spoke up. "Well, I don't know about you lot, but I'm not about to abandon Merlin just because the quest is _dangerous._" This slur elicited more protests from the knights, none of whom liked to be called cowards.

Finally, Arthur held up a hand. "Enough. I understand what you're saying, Leon, and I appreciate your concern, but the fact of the matter is I'm going after Merlin, with or without your help, and there is nothing you can do to stop me. Now, the real question here is, how do we find him?" He looked up questioningly at his knights, but no one could answer him.

Gaius cleared his throat and looked around uncertainly. Sensing he had something to say, Arthur glanced at him and prompted, "Gaius?"

"Well, I'm not _entirely_ sure, but my guess is that Morgana will have taken Merlin somewhere defendable, which would have to be outside of Camelot. Do we have any lead on the direction they left in?" Gaius asked the knights.

"Nothing but a few horse tracks over on the east side of the city walls," Elyan offered. "We can't even be sure that those are from Morgana. They might just belong to some random traveler."

"Besides," Percival chimed in, "We lost a lot of time before we discovered he was missing, and then after because of that skirmish with the bandits outside the citadel. Merlin may already be dead."

"Well it's a start, anyway. And I'm not willing to consider that possibility," Arthur interjected. "Continue, Gaius."

Gaius hesitated, eyebrows furrowed, as though debating what to say. This whole time, Merlin had been listening and pondering what to do. Now, he realized his chance had come. Using all of his concentration, he focused in on Gaius and whispered a short spell. Gaius seemed to start, as though he heard something. He looked about himself, a puzzled expression on his face. _The Dark Tower_, Merlin whispered, repeating the name of his location over and over. Gaius raised an eyebrow, then folded his hands over his stomach, an expression of understanding spreading over his face.

"Hmmm. My guess is that Morgana will have taken Merlin… to the Dark Tower." Gaius' words triggered fearful protests from the knights.

"Sire, surely you don't…"

"No one even knows where…"

"A quest like that would take…"

Arthur stood, the feet of his chair scraping on the stone floor, and silenced the knights. "On what do you base this information, Gaius?"

Gaius hesitated, as if unsure how to answer, then sighed. "My instincts, Sire."

Arthur nodded, as if that made perfect sense. He had always trusted Gaius' instincts, and he wasn't about to stop now. He turned to the queen and placed his hands on her shoulders. "What do you think, Guinevere? What should I do?"

Guinevere bit her lip and looked up into Arthur's eyes. "I think that you should take Gaius' word about the Dark Tower. I don't think you should abandon Merlin to his fate. He has always been a loyal servant and friend. You know he would do anything to save you. Of course, if anything should happen to you…" She broke off, unable to continue, as tears filled her eyes.

Arthur gently placed his thumb on her chin and smiled at her. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen."

"I know. I have faith in you Arthur." Gwen smiled back at Arthur, then reached up and placed a kiss on his cheek.

Gwaine stepped forward and addressed the royal couple, "Don't worry, milady. I will be going with him. I'll keep him safe."

Not willing to be outdone, and with the blessing of their Queen, the rest of the knights were quick to volunteer. "But we still don't know which direction to start in," Leon pointed out.

This time Merlin focused in on Gwaine, trusting that his skill at tracking would make the suggestion more credible. He just hoped that Gwaine could take a hint. _Northeast towards Mercia. You must pass through the Impenetrable Forest._

This time it was Gwaine's turn to look surprised. Merlin whispered the hint again. Gwaine raised his head, and said, "I think… I think we should head northeast. Towards Mercia." The others just looked at Gwaine. "We must pass through the Impenetrable Forest."

Leon started to say something, but Arthur interrupted. "No, I think he's right. I've heard tales of the Dark Tower before, and of the Impenetrable Forest. Gwaine has done a lot of traveling in his life. If anyone should know where to look for the Dark Tower, it would be him." Arthur looked around the room at his men. "Pack your things. We leave at first light."

Merlin let the vision collapse, and gave a huge sigh. The spell had taken an enormous amount of energy, and he was now thoroughly exhausted. But it had been worth it. Arthur and the knights were on their way. Merlin wasn't sure how much longer he could last. Slowly, painfully, he lay down on the cold stone floor and tried to get some rest.


	3. Chapter 3

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I'm so terribly sorry that this took so long. I have been _incredibly_ busy lately, but I promise to try and write more. Plus, I already have an idea for what I want to happen next! _Prepare for angst._ ~**BT**

* * *

Arthur and his knights rode out the next morning in search of Merlin. They were all strangely quiet, each focused on his own thoughts, most of which included the dangers of the road ahead and their fear for Merlin's well-being. Each of them, though they might not be the first to admit it, was extremely fond of Arthur's quirky servant. He was a friend to all of them, and each knew they could count on his loyalty. Arthur was particularly quiet. He was used to Merlin being the talkative one on their trips. Although he would never confess such a thing to Merlin, Arthur couldn't bear the thought of losing him. Before he had left, Gaius and Gwen had both done their best trying to assure him that everything would be alright, but he still couldn't shake a feeling of impending doom.

They travelled in the direction Gwaine had suggested for several hours before they reached the Impenetrable Forest. There was no mistaking the sudden change in scenery, and they knew now that they were going in the right direction. After stopping for a short rest and to gather their bearings, the group set off again. Each kept a weary eye out for danger; no one trusted this forest. Another couple hours passed, and it started to get dark out. Suddenly, Arthur held up his hand, bringing the group to an abrupt halt.

"What is it, Sire?" Elyan whispered.

Arthur was still for a moment, staring ahead slightly to the left. Finally, he spoke. "We've been here before."

"What?! How?" Several knights exclaimed.

"Are you sure?" Leon questioned.

"Yes. I remember seeing that rock formation up ahead." He got down off of his horse and tied the rains to a nearby branch. Hand on hilt, he cautiously inched forward, carefully watching the ground. A few feet in front of where the horses had stopped, he crouched down and examined the mud at his feet. "Hoof prints. From our horses." He stood. "We've been going in a bloody circle!"

Gwaine came up and examined the ground as well. "He's right."

"But how's that even possible?" Leon sounded completely exasperated. "We've been going in the same direction this entire time!"

"I don't know," Arthur answered wearily. He looked around again. "Look, it's getting dark. I suggest we make camp here, and start afresh in the morning. This forest seems to be playing tricks on us, and I don't want to get lost in the dark out here."

The knights mumbled their agreement and set about making camp. Since Merlin was not there to make dinner for them, Elyan offered to do it. Once they had all eaten and a watch was set up, they lay down and drifted into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

_Crash!_ A loud noise yanked Merlin from a sleep of pure exhaustion. He bolted upright and blinked in the bright light, looking bewilderedly about himself. He was met with the scowling face of Morgana. Merlin groaned. The chains about his wrists rubbed at the raw skin, reminding him where he was – back in the torture chambers. Without removing her gaze from Merlin, Morgana bent down and picked up the heavy instrument that she had dropped to wake him. She stood there, fingering the cold metal and staring at Merlin through narrowed eyes.

Suddenly she spoke, her voice oozing thinly veiled exasperation. "You _will_ tell me what I want to know, Merlin. I'm tired of playing games with you. So congratulations, you've advanced to the final rounds. Tell me what I want to know, and I'll consider giving you a quick and painless death. Defy me, and I promise you will suffer in agony beyond comprehension, before dying in the worst way imaginable." Morgana took a step closer and whispered, "So what'll it be, hmm?" She stroked his cheek with the sharp end of the instrument. She was so close to him that he could feel her breath on his bare skin, her lips tantalizingly pink and luscious. For a moment, he wasn't in the torture chambers of the Dark Tower listening to Morgana's threatening words; he was back in time, back at Camelot when he was a young new serving boy and she was the beautiful and unobtainable lady whom he had fallen in love with. He remembered the first time he saw her, delivering one of Gaius' potions to her room. He had been so in awe of her at the time. Slowly, the vision before him faded, and he was met once again with the witch's furious face.

"Oh Morgana, how far you've fallen," he breathed.

She took a step back, aghast, and struck him in the face.

"How _dare_ you! I am a high priestess, and _I will have my way!"_ In a fury, her eyes shot gold, and Merlin's body shook in the throes of her powerful magic.

* * *

Gwaine awoke with a start. He had been sound asleep with pleasant dreams, when suddenly a hazy blue light had replaced his dream and a voice was calling his name. He was almost sure that it was Merlin who had been calling him. Percival, who had been awake on the watch, looked at him when he started up. "Everything alright?" he asked in a whisper. "Yeah… just a bad dream." Gwaine tried to smirk confidently like he normally would, but he couldn't ignore the uneasy feeling in his gut. Percival shrugged. "Well, it'll be light in a few hours. You wanna take the watch?" Gwaine nodded. Although he was fairly sure that it had only been a bad dream related to Merlin's kidnapping, he didn't think that he could go back to sleep. Satisfied, Percival lay down. Within a few minutes he was asleep. Gwaine settled back against a tree, thinking and watching the dark, eerie woods around him. The others slept on peacefully, except for Arthur, whose brow was furrowed. He kept twitching, and Gwaine wondered if he was having bad dreams as well. Several minutes passed uneventfully, with Gwaine beginning to wonder if he would be able to stay awake. He had slept in stranger places than this before and he wasn't really unnerved by the forest. Just then, a gust of wind blew through the clearing. "_Gwaine_…" Startled, Gwaine snatched his sword from his side. He listened carefully, but when he didn't hear anything, he began to wonder if he was hearing things. Gwaine rubbed his face. Maybe he was starting to be affected by this place. Thinking that maybe a short walk would clear his head, he stood up. Making his way through the trees a ways so as not to wake the others, he wandered about. "_Gwaine_…" This time he was certain that he heard something. Swinging around, sword in hand, he called softly, "Who's there?" Coming through the trees toward him, he thought he spotted a light. He inched cautiously forward. As he got closer, he saw that it was a small, glowing blue orb, floating in the air. "Magic," he uttered. He had to be careful. Who knew what could happen when sorcery was involved.

He was about to go back and warn the others, when a voice, soft but clear, called, "_Gwaine. It's me, Merlin_!"

"Merlin? Is that you?" He swung around, turning in every direction, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. Suddenly, a vision filled his mind. He saw the Dark Tower, looming in front of him, and then the next second he was inside it. The image wavered, as though it was under water, but he clearly saw Merlin, hanging by his wrists from chains in the ceiling. In front of his friend stood the traitorous witch, Morgana. She seemed to be trying to coerce information out of him, but Merlin clearly wasn't talking. Morgana pressed something red-hot into his side. Gwaine watched in horror as Merlin's body convulsed soundlessly. Then, as suddenly as the vision appeared, it disappeared in a flash of white. Gwaine found himself staring once again at the blue orb.

"Great," Gwaine muttered, "so I know that Merlin's being tortured. But how am I supposed to find him?"

_Follow me._ The voice in his head startled Gwaine.

The orb started moving forward. "What, you expect me to follow this thing? How do I know this isn't a trap?"

_You'll have to trust me._

Gwaine took a step backwards and glanced over his shoulder at the camp. It was still a couple hours away from being light, and Gwaine knew Arthur. No matter how worried he was about Merlin, he'd never trust any magic. And even though Gwaine was wary of any magic, something in his gut told him he could trust this. Besides, he couldn't stand the though of Merlin languishing in Morgana's hold any longer. Gwaine sighed, eyeing the magic ball. _Very well, here goes…_

* * *

Merlin was exhausted. Casting a spell of this magnitude was hard on a normal basis, but it was doubly difficult trying to do it while Morgana was torturing him, especially without her figuring it out. He may have only been in the torture chambers for an hour, but it felt like an eternity.

Once the initial spell had been cast (which he had managed to do while her back was turned) he only had to keep focused on the spell in his mind to keep it going. Unfortunately, however, his strength was failing. If he lost consciousness, the spell would fail, and Gwaine would be lost out there by himself, with no hope of finding the tower until Merlin could reach him again. And to add to all his problems, Morgana was losing her patience. Merlin feared to think what would happen if she lost it all together.


End file.
